Featured Event
Annual Boat Cruise
ICNC will be hosting its Annual Boat Cruise aboard the Anita Dee II! Connect with other ICNC companies as the boat cruises around Lake Michigan for two hours and docks for an hour, while enjoying beverages and light refreshments. Last year's event SOLD OUT! All ticket sales will go to support ICNC's no-cost business development services.
Take advantage of early bird ticket prices until May 21st!*If you are an ICNC tenant or member, please contact Hannah for a registration code.
Thursday, July 18th
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location: DuSable Harbor - 150 N. Lake Shore Dr.
Register here!
ICNC will be hosting its Annual Boat Cruise aboard the Anita Dee II! Connect with other ICNC companies as the boat cruises around Lake Michigan for two hours and docks for an hour, while enjoying beverages and light refreshments. Last year's event SOLD OUT! All ticket sales will go to support ICNC's no-cost business development services.
Take advantage of early bird ticket prices until May 21st!*If you are an ICNC tenant or member, please contact Hannah for a registration code.
Thursday, July 18th
Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location: DuSable Harbor - 150 N. Lake Shore Dr.
Register here!
May 2019
Hatchery Networking - Cold Pressed: Juice Culture in Chicago
Juice is one of the most competitive segments of the beverage industry. Join us to hear from a panel of juice industry entrepreneurs and experts as we dig into juice culture in Chicago!
Thursday, May 30th
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: The Hatchery - 135 N. Kedzie
Cost: $15
Register here!
Juice is one of the most competitive segments of the beverage industry. Join us to hear from a panel of juice industry entrepreneurs and experts as we dig into juice culture in Chicago!
Thursday, May 30th
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: The Hatchery - 135 N. Kedzie
Cost: $15
Register here!
June 2019
Starting a Food Business
Follow your dreams of starting a food business with our help. The Hatchery's cornerstone curriculum course will help you launch a successful food and beverage company. Learn all about the food entrepreneurship space as well as required licensing, certification, financing, and branding. Each attendee will receive our Starting a Food Business checklist, taking you through each license and certification you need to consider, so you'll get started on the right track.
Monday, June 3rd
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: The Hatchery - 135 N. Kedzie
Cost: $40
Register here!
Follow your dreams of starting a food business with our help. The Hatchery's cornerstone curriculum course will help you launch a successful food and beverage company. Learn all about the food entrepreneurship space as well as required licensing, certification, financing, and branding. Each attendee will receive our Starting a Food Business checklist, taking you through each license and certification you need to consider, so you'll get started on the right track.
Monday, June 3rd
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: The Hatchery - 135 N. Kedzie
Cost: $40
Register here!
Yelp 101 Marketing Workshop
This session will walk you through how you can use Yelp for Business Owners to put your best foot forward on Yelp and tell the story of your business in a place that consumers are looking to find you.
Tuesday, June 4th
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: ICNC - 320 N. Damen Ave.
Cost: FREE
Register here!
This session will walk you through how you can use Yelp for Business Owners to put your best foot forward on Yelp and tell the story of your business in a place that consumers are looking to find you.
Tuesday, June 4th
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: ICNC - 320 N. Damen Ave.
Cost: FREE
Register here!
Label Claims: Legal & Regulatory Overview
Every aspect of your packaging can be reviewed by the FDA. As more consumers carefully examine packaging copy, new FDA regulations are emerging to insure that these claims are in fact true. Join specialist attorneys from Schiff Hardin LLP and VP, Chief Counsel, Brands at Kellogg Company, Jane Jeannero, to learn about the language needed to ensure your food industry product meets FDA regulation requirements and satisfies customer inquiries.
Wednesday, June 5th
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: The Hatchery - 135 N. Kedzie
Cost: $40 non-members, $20 members
Register here!
Every aspect of your packaging can be reviewed by the FDA. As more consumers carefully examine packaging copy, new FDA regulations are emerging to insure that these claims are in fact true. Join specialist attorneys from Schiff Hardin LLP and VP, Chief Counsel, Brands at Kellogg Company, Jane Jeannero, to learn about the language needed to ensure your food industry product meets FDA regulation requirements and satisfies customer inquiries.
Wednesday, June 5th
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: The Hatchery - 135 N. Kedzie
Cost: $40 non-members, $20 members
Register here!
PivotUp! Workshop: Building & Planning for a Pivot
Join The Hatchery, FamilyFarmed, and Kim Kleeman in a workshop designed to help you plan a Pivotup! to the next level. Take time to think strategically about your business and where you want to grow. Explore an opportunity or a possible transition by yourself or with your leadership team in this interactive business seminar. Take time to strategize an action plan for growth in order to gain momentum and finish 2019 strong! Spend time thinking big picture with your team or on your own in a proven- process, developed by Kleeman, focused on uncovering your most exciting next steps, the skills you have (both front of mind and long-forgotten) in your personal toolbox or on the team, a clear vision of where you'd like to be, and action steps to get there. Meet in a group setting for 2 hours working on leadership tools like 30/60/90 day plans, Obstacle and Opportunity evaluation and time left at the end to ask the hard questions about how to scale.
Friday, June 7th
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Location: The Hatchery - 135 N. Kedzie
Cost: $20
Register here!
Join The Hatchery, FamilyFarmed, and Kim Kleeman in a workshop designed to help you plan a Pivotup! to the next level. Take time to think strategically about your business and where you want to grow. Explore an opportunity or a possible transition by yourself or with your leadership team in this interactive business seminar. Take time to strategize an action plan for growth in order to gain momentum and finish 2019 strong! Spend time thinking big picture with your team or on your own in a proven- process, developed by Kleeman, focused on uncovering your most exciting next steps, the skills you have (both front of mind and long-forgotten) in your personal toolbox or on the team, a clear vision of where you'd like to be, and action steps to get there. Meet in a group setting for 2 hours working on leadership tools like 30/60/90 day plans, Obstacle and Opportunity evaluation and time left at the end to ask the hard questions about how to scale.
Friday, June 7th
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Location: The Hatchery - 135 N. Kedzie
Cost: $20
Register here!
Sourcing: Challenges, Strategies, and Solutions
Developing and executing the right ingredient and packaging sourcing plan is critical to the success of any business in the food and beverage industry. Join Hatchery partner Pepsico's Global Procurement Senior Director and Market Supply Office, Jennifer Tsai, for this interactive discussion about sourcing challenges and how to create robust raw material strategies to ensure competitive costing and reliable supplier relationships as well as mitigate risks in supply, quality and overall company reputation.
Tuesday, June 11th
Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Location: The Hatchery - 135 N. Kedzie
Cost: $30 non-members, $15 members
Register here!
Developing and executing the right ingredient and packaging sourcing plan is critical to the success of any business in the food and beverage industry. Join Hatchery partner Pepsico's Global Procurement Senior Director and Market Supply Office, Jennifer Tsai, for this interactive discussion about sourcing challenges and how to create robust raw material strategies to ensure competitive costing and reliable supplier relationships as well as mitigate risks in supply, quality and overall company reputation.
Tuesday, June 11th
Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Location: The Hatchery - 135 N. Kedzie
Cost: $30 non-members, $15 members
Register here!
Time & Task Management for Entrepreneurs
Effective time management results in greater productivity and efficiency, better professional reputation, less stress, and greater opportunities for growth and advancement. Join MassPay HR for this interactive workshop, and leave with new time management tools in your strategy kit!
Wednesday, June 12th
Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Location: The Hatchery - 135 N. Kedzie
Cost: $20 non-members, $10 members
Register here!
Effective time management results in greater productivity and efficiency, better professional reputation, less stress, and greater opportunities for growth and advancement. Join MassPay HR for this interactive workshop, and leave with new time management tools in your strategy kit!
Wednesday, June 12th
Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Location: The Hatchery - 135 N. Kedzie
Cost: $20 non-members, $10 members
Register here!
Digital Marketing: Strategic Investments for Big Returns
You have a million ideas, two pennies, and a Facebook page. How are you going to start spreading your brand's good name online? In this seminar you'll learn how to prioritize digital media channels based on your audience and goals. Spoiler alert: don't try to launch them all at once! When launching a brand, it's rarely ideas that are lacking - but the time and resources to support those ideas is decidedly more limited. Digital marketing offers startups and small businesses a powerful way to make small investments for big returns, but it's often tough to know where to prioritize. Anywhere from the concept to finished product stage, it's important to invest your time and dollars wisely.
Wednesday, June 19th
Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Location: The Hatchery - 135 N. Kedzie
Cost: $30 non-members, $15 members
Register here!
You have a million ideas, two pennies, and a Facebook page. How are you going to start spreading your brand's good name online? In this seminar you'll learn how to prioritize digital media channels based on your audience and goals. Spoiler alert: don't try to launch them all at once! When launching a brand, it's rarely ideas that are lacking - but the time and resources to support those ideas is decidedly more limited. Digital marketing offers startups and small businesses a powerful way to make small investments for big returns, but it's often tough to know where to prioritize. Anywhere from the concept to finished product stage, it's important to invest your time and dollars wisely.
Wednesday, June 19th
Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Location: The Hatchery - 135 N. Kedzie
Cost: $30 non-members, $15 members
Register here!
Start Your Business in Illinois
Lema Khorshid will share 10 LEGAL TIPS for SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS and walk attendees through selecting the best legal structure for their business.
Thursday, June 20th
Time: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Location: ICNC - 320 N. Damen Ave.
Cost: FREE
Register here!
Lema Khorshid will share 10 LEGAL TIPS for SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS and walk attendees through selecting the best legal structure for their business.
Thursday, June 20th
Time: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Location: ICNC - 320 N. Damen Ave.
Cost: FREE
Register here!
Feeding the Influencer: Driving Food & Beverage Sales with Influencer Marketing
Home to food tech incubators, a strong food entrepreneurship scene, and many multi-national consumer product goods (CPG) companies it's no wonder Chicago is one of the best (if not the best) city for food entrepreneurship. To create a thriving food startup, consumers need to discover your brand. With many of us spending hours a day on social media, influencers are a natural fit to help a business drive sales. This panel discussion will feature Influencers working with consumer product goods companies to shed some light on the world of influencer marketing. How does one become an influencer? Side hustle or full-time career? How does a brand identify the correct influencer and what does fair compensation look like? How do you measure the success of the partnership?
Thursday, June 20th
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: The Hatchery - 135 N. Kedzie
Cost: FREE
Register here!
Home to food tech incubators, a strong food entrepreneurship scene, and many multi-national consumer product goods (CPG) companies it's no wonder Chicago is one of the best (if not the best) city for food entrepreneurship. To create a thriving food startup, consumers need to discover your brand. With many of us spending hours a day on social media, influencers are a natural fit to help a business drive sales. This panel discussion will feature Influencers working with consumer product goods companies to shed some light on the world of influencer marketing. How does one become an influencer? Side hustle or full-time career? How does a brand identify the correct influencer and what does fair compensation look like? How do you measure the success of the partnership?
Thursday, June 20th
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: The Hatchery - 135 N. Kedzie
Cost: FREE
Register here!
Sponsor Events
Event sponsorship presents the ICNC members with unique opportunities to showcase their business. Contact the ICNC for current event sponsorship opportunities for your business.
